Huelskamp Fights For Salina Airport

KSAL Staff - April 13, 2016 4:17 pm

In an attempt to seek a legislative solution to an issue that has stopped commercial flights out of Salina, Kansas Congressman Tim Huelskamp Wednesday voted for the Treating Small Airports with Fairness Act. The bill passed unanimously in the House.

TSA withdrew screening services at Salina when the previous air carrier stopped flights from Salina. In February, Great Lakes Airlines and the Salina Airport Authority came to an agreement to provide service to and from Denver, but TSA has not resumed screening service , a requirement for interstate travel.

According to the Congressman;s office, Huelskamp sent a letter to the TSA urging reinstatement of service, and in the days following, TSA denied the Salina Airport Authority’s request to bring passenger checkpoint screening back.

The Salina Airport isn’t alone. Other airports located in predominately rural communities across America – and in nearly identical situations – are also being denied TSA screening services. This Huelskamp-sponsored legislation requires TSA to restore passenger screening services to any airport that lost service after January 1, 2013 and that has a guarantee from a commercial airline to resume service, like Salina Regional Airport. Huelskamp worked with colleagues across the nation to pass this bill and defend rural airports.

Huelskamp gave the following statement on the legislation:

“Our rural communities in Kansas, and across our nation, are tired of being left with the short end of the stick and Obama’s Washington bureaucrats thinking they can get away with it.

“This legislation will reverse the denial by TSA and ensure they stop discriminating against smaller rural communities like Salina. The air service agreement with Great Lakes Airlines will support our region’s continued economic growth.

“I am hopeful the Senate will act quickly on this simple fix to ensure TSA fulfills its mission to ‘ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce.’”

I knew that he’d eventually come to his senses and see the need to raise taxes to support socialistic programs. His back-stepping from direct user fees is a welcome change. If he’s successful, non-fliers will help support those who do fly in and out of small airports.